In what could be a setback to liquor vendors in Goa it is understood that permits for transportation of maximum quantity of liquor bottles from Goa are not valid for Maharashtra and Karnataka. It is learnt that people transporting liquor from Goa to Maharashtra are now likely to face stringent action under various sections of the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). According to Maharashtra excise officials, permits given by liquor vendors to the customers in Goa do not bear significance in Maharashtra and it is not permissible under law to transport even a single bottle of liquor from Goa to Maharashtra. Not allowing carrying liquor bottles could prove counterproductive as it could increase inter-state smuggling because of the lower cost of liquor in Goa. It is pertinent to note that either one or two bottles of liquor are permitted from Goa to several other States. It seems necessary for the Goa government to take up the issue with the government in Karnataka and Maharashtra and ensure that the permits issued by liquor vendors in the state for one to two bottles are valid in these states or it could be a setback for tourism.
